The International Journal of Social Research Methodology continues to publish new papers from its forthcoming Special Issue on the teaching of research methods. In the latest paper, author Sharlene Hesse-Biber focuses on the distinct challenges of mixed methods teaching. Her paper “The problems and prospects in the teaching of mixed methods research” discusses Hesse-Biber’s innovative and deeply pedagogical work in this area.

Abstract

There are pedagogical challenges USA students and instructors face within mixed methods classrooms. Instructors of mixed methods are often self-taught, lacking adequate training in both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. Students are not often trained in both research approaches. These dual training gaps can result in deep pedagogical issues compromising students’ ability to fully understand mixed methods research praxis and leaving teachers feeling ill equipped to address students’ learning concerns. To tackle the myriad of challenges confronted in the mixed methods classroom requires structural changes to the current way graduate training programs in social research methods are organized and taught. Developing a team-based teaching approach to mixed methods research that provides students with instructors who have the requisite qualitative and quantitative knowledge can serve as a pedagogical model that can begin at least to address the current methods and methodological skills gap in the teaching of mixed methods research.

Full reference:

•  Hesse-Biber (2015) The problems and prospects in the teaching of mixed methods research, International Journal of Social Research Methodology. DOI 10.1080/13645579.2015.1062622

The Special Issue convened by guest editors Prof Melanie Nind (Pedagogy of Methodological Learning project PI), Dr Daniel Kilburn (UCL) and Dr Rebekah Luff (National Centre for Research Methods) will be published in full this Autumn.